


Reformation and Retribution

by belasgrl



Category: A Troll in Central Park (1994)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Child Abuse, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:26:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28262352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belasgrl/pseuds/belasgrl
Summary: Takes place 6 months after ATiCP. The prophecy said that a human would lead to evil's destruction. Could the girl who arrives unexpectedly at the Kingdom of the Trolls be connected to this prediction? TW for abuse and violence.





	1. Chapter 1

It was a dark and stormy night, the setting for most serious tales not unlike this one. The rain shot down from the sky and pummeled the pavement, streets, and buildings in Manhattan. Lightning flashed, appearing to crack the heavens wide open. 

Was this storm any different than others that had come before, or was all the sadness of the world too much for the gods to handle? Did they look upon the Earth and grieve for the children and teenagers being hurt, abused, and abandoned? Or was this just another rainstorm, like so many others in the past?

One teenage girl barely noticed the lightning, thunder, and rain that raged on outside. The only thunder she noticed was the sound shoes and hairbrushes made when they were thrown against the wall. The only lightning she saw was the flash of a hand smacking her across the face. The only rain she noticed was the droplets that dripped out of her eyes and fell down her cheeks. No storm could be worse than that. 

Shouts of, "GET OUT!" filled her ears, and the girl ran out of the small, dingy, broken-down apartment that her parents and she lived in. Well, now there was one less resident. The girl didn't have time to grab any of her things; all she had time for was running. 

She ran and ran in the dark, nearly getting hit by a taxi. Even all the lights that were currently on in the city weren't bright enough to illuminate her in the pouring rain. Soon, though, she was far enough away from her former home that she could relax. 

The teenager had ended up near a park, though which one, she didn't know, nor did she care. All she focused on now was finding a dry place to lay down and sleep. Her long, dark brown hair was drenched and slick, and her navy blue sweater and jeans were soaked. She found a bench and laid under it, shivering and alone. 

Unable to sleep, the girl happened to look up. It was difficult to see through the darkness and the rain, but she swore that a huge gray sphere of some kind was a few feet in front of her. Curious, she struggled to get out from under the bench and approach it, falling once along the way because of the slick grass. Finally, she approached the ball. Touching it, she noticed it was made of dirt of some kind, and it had a small door with a handle. If she could fit inside, she would have a warm place to sleep for the night. 

The girl opened the door and went inside the ball, head-first. As soon as she closed the door, she began feeling warm already. 

She was warm...and moving! She began rolling over and over, gradually going faster and faster. She tried to open the door but couldn't reach it, as she was being tossed around inside the sphere like a rag doll. She cried out for help, but no one heard her, and no one could stop the ball at the speed it was going. 

Suddenly, the rolling stopped, and the girl was suddenly floating in midair. This didn't last long before her body was slammed against a wall. Outside, she could hear several crashes, but she was largely unharmed until at last, the ball stopped. It hit the outside of a building, and the impact was so great that the entire thing fell apart, and the girl was knocked unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

It was during this same night that King Llort, ruler of the Kingdom of the Trolls, was relaxing in the royal tower. He was watching a soap opera on a giant crystal and was filing his nails, sighing in relief that all his duties were done for the day. 

The Troll Kingdom was mostly a peaceful place nowadays, thanks to him and his fair and calm rule. He enjoyed the serenity he and his subjects now largely experienced. 

Tonight was a different story, however. Outside, Llort heard shouts and bangs and one loud crash from right outside his tower. He immediately ran down the staircases and outside, where a crowd of trolls now gathered. "What's going on here?!" the king demanded.

One of the guards replied, "A giant ball came through the front gates before we could stop it!" 

The ball, which was now broken and crumbled in pieces, surrounded the body of the teenage girl, who had previously been unfortunate enough to ride in it. She lay face-down on the stone pavement only inches away from the castle's front door. 

King Llort shooed the other trolls out of the way and examined the girl. "It's a child!" Upon closer examination of her head and face, he continued, "A HUMAN child!" 

"How did a human get to the Kingdom of the Trolls?" a citizen asked. 

"I don't know, but we can't just leave her out here. Bring her inside," King Llort ordered, anxiously. 

A couple of guards quickly picked her up, and the king mentioned, "Be careful; she looks hurt." 

The girl was brought to the only bedchamber in the tower and was layed on a small bed after a dog was shooed off. The dog barked at the girl, and Llort scolded, "Quiet! You're going to wake her up!" 

In response, the dog bit the king's leg. The king screamed in pain, shouting, "Ouch! Why do you always have to bite me?!" 

Thankfully, the noise didn't wake the teenager up. 

When Llort recovered from getting bitten, he told a servant to find a towel and dry the girl off, another to send for his adviser, and yet another to send for a doctor.

Soon, a different troll entered, wearing a blue robe and glasses. "Yes, your majesty?" 

As a servant was drying the girl off, King Llort greeted the being who had just come in. "Ah, Sivread! Just the man I wanted to see! I'm in a bit of a predicament." 

The adviser looked over at the girl in the bed and nodded. "So, I see. I was wondering what all that noise was." 

"Well, what should I do, Siv? No human has ever been to the Kingdom of the Trolls before." 

The adviser thought long and hard. Finally, he spoke. "Perhaps you should wait until she awakens. She'll be able to tell you where she comes from and why she's here." 

"Good idea, Siv. What would I do without you?" 

"I have no idea, your majesty. Good night." 

A doctor came by and examined the girl as Sivread left. The doctor told the king, "She is badly bruised. I don't know how to treat humans, but I'm guessing all she needs is rest." 

"Okay, then. I guess we'll just play this by ear," Llort stated. 

The girl finally gained consciousness moments later but was disoriented. She mumbled and sat up. When she saw the group of trolls in the room, she suddenly became alarmed. Fearing for her safety, she grabbed the first thing she could get her hands on, which was a pair of scissors. Seeing that she intended to attack, the guards pointed their spears at her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Where am I?!" the girl screamed, her voice slightly slurred. 

King Llort stood in between the girl and the guards, holding his hands up. "Guards, stand down! Little girl, put down the scissors. There's no need for violence." 

"I'm not little! I'm 14! Where am I?!" 

The king watched as the human tried to keep her balance and focus. Her body shook in fear. He attempted to speak more softly. "You're in the Kingdom of the Trolls. Where are you from, young lady?" 

"K-kingdom of Trolls? There's no such thing..." The girl became weaker and collapsed, unable to stand. She was put to bed again, and all sharp objects were removed from the room. 

Once everyone was safe, Llort dismissed the guards, servants, and doctor and sat on a big bed that was a few feet away from the small bed. It was going to be his responsibility to keep watch of this human. After all, she had mysteriously appeared in his kingdom. She was asleep now, so maybe she wouldn't cause any more trouble for the rest of the night. 

In the morning, the girl slowly woke up. Sitting up, she found herself in a room where the walls were made of stone. A big bed was a few feet away from the one she was currently laying in, and a giant green crystal was across the room, across from the beds. 

At the foot of the bed she laid on was a small dog, curled in a ball. 

As the girl reached to pet the dog, she suddenly felt a horrible pain in her head, and she whimpered. The dog woke up from the noise and barked. 

King Llort entered the room after hearing the dog. "Good morning," he told the girl, standing in the doorway. 

The teenager stared at Llort in disbelief. She had never seen anyone like him before except in movies and books. "This is impossible. I must still be dreaming."

"Before you do anything rash again, I want you to know you're in no danger," Llort quickly told her, holding the door open slightly and using it as a shield. Humans were unpredictable, especially this one. 

"Who are you? Where am I?" 

"I'm King Llort, and you're in the Kingdom of the Trolls." 

"I hit my head pretty hard," the girl groaned. 

"I see that. You had a rough ride. How did you get here, anyway? No human has ever come here before." 

"There...There was a ball in a park. I got in it, and the next thing I knew, I was being moved around. That's all I remember." 

"Hmm...That doesn't help much. Where are you from?"

"I won't tell you!" she snapped at him, crossing her arms. 

"Okay, okay. I just thought I'd ask. We need to get you home." 

When Llort said this, this only agitated the teenager more. "No! I won't go back! I'd rather die than go back!" 

There was a deep fear buried underneath the anger in her voice. Llort immediately picked up on it and told her, "Okay. I won't take you home. Will you at least tell me your name?" 

The girl paused, unsure if she could trust this being. Finally, she answered, "Deanna." 

Llort walked into the room, slowly. "It's nice to meet you, Deanna. Would you like some breakfast? I don't know what humans usually eat, but we have some swamp mush." 

Deanna made a disgusted face. "No thanks. I'm not hungry. I really have to go, now." She tried getting out of bed, but quickly became dizzy and stumbled. 

Llort rushed to help her lie back down, but Deanna just shoved his hand away. Llort told her, stepping away, "Take it easy. There's no rush for you to leave, is there?" 

Deanna covered herself back up and didn't answer. Llort sighed. He wasn't going to get much information or get her out of the kingdom at this rate. What was he going to do? 

Suddenly, he thought of an idea. Stanley had dealt with human children before. Maybe he would know how to get this one to talk more openly. The trouble was, Stanley was in New York City, and he didn't even know if Stanley would help him after what he and Gnorga did only half a year ago. 

Llort shuddered. He didn't like thinking about that time in his life, but he had to do something, and this was the best plan he could come up with. 

Before he left to go to New York, Llort told Sivread and a couple of servants to take turns keeping an eye on Deanna. Then, he went to the library in the tower and looked through some spell books. He mumbled to himself, "I hope this works. It's not like I have any magical powers..." 

The king read a spell from a book, then suddenly felt a whirlwind under him. He was whisked away out of the castle and the kingdom. Before he knew it, he was thrown, face-down on the ground, in front of a bridge in Central Park.


	4. Chapter 4

Llort looked up and struggled to focus his eyes on his surroundings. When he could finally see clearly, he tried to remember if he was in the right place. Standing up and getting his bearings, he walked towards the bridge, which was becoming more and more familiar. 

This had to be the place. He faintly remembered seeing it, though the entire park looked much different now. The grass was greener, and many, many types of flowers bloomed all over, making the air smell sweet with faint, floral aromas. It was quite nice. 

As Llort approached the bridge, he grew nervous. What if Stanley wasn't even there? Or worse, what if he was there and refused to talk to him? Maybe it was better if he turned around and went home. 

Then, he thought of Deanna. He couldn't just leave her anywhere since he didn't know where she came from, and she seemed so scared underneath that angry exterior. He had to get her to trust him enough to talk to him, and the only way to find out how was to talk to someone who had dealt with humans before. 

This was the best way. 

Llort got in the water and approached the opening to where Stanley lived. He swallowed and called out, tentatively, "H-Hello? Stanley?" 

No answer. 

"It's King Llort. I know I've done some pretty bad things, but I need your help. You see, there's a human girl who somehow got into the kingdom, and all I know is her name. She won't tell me where she came from. I don't know how to get her to talk to me, and I figured you would. Please, Stanley. She's so scared. I don't know what else to do." 

Llort waited for ages and almost gave up, but then, he saw Stanley's head pop out. Stanley took a long, hard look at Llort, then, seeing how serious the king was, asked, "This isn't a trick?" 

"No. There really is a human in the Kingdom of the Trolls. I know I don't deserve your help, but I didn't know who else to go to."

Stanley thought for a moment. "Okay, I'll help, but only if you promise not to have me turned into stone." 

"I promise. Cross my heart. And...Stanley? I have a confession to make. I think now is a good time to tell you." 

As Stanley came out into the open, he asked, "What's that?" 

"I...I never really wanted to go along with anything Gnorga did. I had to, or else she'd turn me to stone." He hung his head. "I'm so sorry for all the trouble I caused." 

Stanley saw Llort's sad expression and told him, "I forgive you. It's all water under the bridge, now." 

Llort looked relieved. "You really mean it, Stanley? Oh, thank you! You don't know how much this means to me!" 

Stanley smiled and wiggled his ears. "You're welcome. Come on. Let's go see this girl you were talking about."

Back at the Troll Kingdom, Llort told Stanley once they entered the castle, "I'll keep my distance until she's willing to talk to me. Our first meeting...didn't go so well." 

Stanley gaped a little, concerned, then said, "I'll do my best." With that, he went to the bedchamber and knocked on the door. 

Deanna said, "Come in." 

Stanley entered the room. Deanna was sitting up in bed and looked on-edge. "Who are you?" she asked, cautiously. 

"I'm Stanley. I'm a friend. What's your name?" 

"Deanna." 

"Deanna. That's such a pretty name." Seeing her bruises, especially the noticeable one under her eye, he frowned, sadly. "Are you okay? You look hurt."

"I'll be fine. I had a rough trip." 

"How did you get here? The Kingdom of the Trolls isn't easy to find." 

"So I've heard." Deanna then told Stanley how she had arrived. 

Stanley remembered that Llort had said Deanna reacted badly when asked where she lived, so he avoided that topic. "Well, I'm sure everyone is happy you're here and that you're okay." 

"Why do you say that? I thought trolls hated humans." 

"Not all of them, especially King Llort. He's awfully worried about you." 

"He doesn't have a reason to be. I mean, I almost stabbed him with a pair of scissors. I'm not exactly a good person." 

"Aw, everyone makes mistakes," Stanley told her. "It doesn't mean you're not a good person. You just have trouble giving new people a chance."

"I guess so." She looked down at her lap. "I've never seen a real troll before, and I don't know why I'm here or what I should do. No one wants me around." A tear fell down her cheek. 

"Sure, they do! Lots of people want you around! You just haven't found those people yet. Everything will be okay." 

Deanna nodded. "Thank you. I feel a little better." 

"No problem. Anytime you need to talk, I'm here to listen." 

Stanley let her rest. When he left the room, Llort was anxiously waiting outside. "Is she okay? What did she say?"

"She's in a new place, and she feels like nobody wants her around. You should make her feel at home and assure her that you don't want to just throw her out." 

Llort nodded. "You're right. I'll do everything I can to make her feel welcome. I should get her some human food. What do humans like?" 

"Well..." Stanley listed off different foods he had heard of and tried. Then, he added, "Kindness and reassurance."

"Kindness and reassurance? I didn't think you could eat those." 

Stanley shook his head. "No, no. You need to give her those things. She's really vulnerable right now and needs all the help and friends she can get." 

"I'll do my best. This is all so new to me." 

"You've already made a good start," Stanley assured him. "Let's get her some human food. That should make her feel better."


	5. Chapter 5

With Stanley's help, Llort was able to get Deanna some human food that would last her awhile while she recovered from her injuries. Stanley visited her every day, and King Llort popped in once in awhile to say hi and to check on the teenager. Once Deanna felt she was in no danger, she became more relaxed around everyone who saw her.

A few days after Deanna had arrived, she was well enough to walk around, and Llort offered to take her on a tour of the kingdom, which she accepted. 

The Kingdom of the Trolls was dark and a bit dreary, and all of the buildings and walkways were made out of stone. However, flowers grew all around, and plenty of greenery wrapped around all the towers. The trolls made an effort to make their home not so gloomy. 

"Do you like it?" Llort asked the girl. "I think the changes are really nice." 

"Changes?" 

"Oh, yes. The kingdom used to be nothing but stone and swamp. Nothing was allowed to grow here." 

"Why?" 

Llort paused. "The old ruler, Queen Gnorga, hated everything that was beautiful or good. She was poison and made trolls believe they had to be bad." 

"What happened to her?" Deanna asked. 

"Do you want to see? It's not gruesome or anything, I promise." 

"Okay," she said, skeptically, following him to a large garden. The garden was filled with beautiful, fragrant flowers and green trees. "It's so pretty," Deanna sighed in awe. 

"It is, isn't it?" King Llort agreed, looking around. Then, he pointed to a rather large and unusual rosebush. "You see that rosebush?"

She nodded. 

"That's Gnorga." 

Deanna's eyes widened. "How?"

"Magic. Good magic makes things grow, even bad things." 

Deanna uneasily stood behind Llort. He chuckled. "Don't worry; she can't do anything. She's stuck in the ground. I'll show you the rest of the kingdom." 

They left the garden and met up with random citizens, who didn't seem to mind Deanna being there, especially since she was walking around with the king. Deanna mentioned, keeping her voice low, "I thought trolls were...dangerous."

"Oh, they can be, but we're trying to move away from the stereotypes," Llort told her. "I want to help change what being a troll means. I mean, what good does it do anyone to be forced into a little box? It's so much better to be free and to make your own choices, don't you think?" 

Deanna nodded, thinking this was the most insightful thing she had heard him say. He seemed to be quite wise at times despite his cluelessness. 

"Can I tell you something?" Deanna asked when they got back to the castle. 

"Of course." 

"This is the safest I've felt in a long time," she admitted to him. "I...I was never safe at home." 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Llort asked, treading carefully. 

"If you promise it won't backfire on me." 

"I promise."

Deanna internally struggled for a bit, debating whether to talk about it. Finally, she told him. "My parents hit me a lot. They told me to leave the night I came here." She shook, sniffling. 

"Oh...Oh, Deanna..." Llort's eyes saddened. "Is that why you didn't want to tell me where you came from?" 

Deanna nodded, then clenched her fists. "I won't go back! You can't make me!" 

"Sweetie, I'd never send you back to those monsters," the king told her. 

Deanna looked up at him, surprised. 

"We'll find you a good home, and you'll never have to see them again. How does that sound?" 

Deanna burst out crying from relief. "Thank you! I owe you a lot!" 

"You don't owe me anything. I just want you to be safe and happy." He then asked, "Now, can I tell you something?"

"Yeah." Deanna wiped her eyes. 

"I know how you feel. I used to be abused, too." 

"You were?" 

Llort nodded. "Gnorga was my wife, and she was...rough with me. I was afraid of her and had to do everything she said, or...it'd end really badly for me." He shuddered. 

Deanna suddenly hugged him. "I'm so sorry. That wasn't right. You didn't deserve that." 

Shocked, Llort hugged her back. "You didn't deserve it, either. Luckily, that's all behind both of us." 

Llort hugged her perhaps a little too long, but he wanted the teenager to know that she was safe. The only thing left to do now was to find her a good home.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, besides performing his daily duties, King Llort was trying to figure out where to send Deanna. Stanley and he brainstormed ideas. 

During this time, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Llort said. 

Sivread entered the room, holding a scroll. "Your majesty, I wonder if I may speak to you in private." 

After Stanley left the room, Sivread told Llort, "I've discovered something I believe is of great importance." 

"What is it, Siv?" 

The adviser unrolled the scroll on the desk. "This scroll is hundreds of years old and was written by trolls of the past. It says that a human will be evil's destruction right around this very date." 

Llort looked alarmed. "What does this mean?" 

"It means that there is a prophecy that states the kingdom will be in danger very soon, and a human will be the cause of the evil's downfall." 

Llort got up. "Deanna is a human! We've got to get her out of here! I can't let her get hurt, just in case this prophecy turns out to be real!"

He ran out of the room, bumping into Stanley. He told Stanley what was going on, then they gathered a group to look for Deanna. They all split up to find her.

Earlier that same day, while everyone else had been asleep, a few trolls dug up the rosebush that was formerly Gnorga and carried her to the basement of one of their homes. Following her example and practicing dark magic, they revived the queen to her original state.

"Oh, great Gnorga," one of them told her, bowing, "we need you now more than ever. The king is incompetent and has made a mockery out of our people. We are forever your loyal servants." 

Gnorga laughed a loud, long, and wicked laugh. "Fools! I don't need any of you!" 

"But...the prophecy..." 

The queen glared. "I'm aware of it! I'll take care of the human, myself, then I'll dispose of Llort. He won't get in my way this time!"


	7. Chapter 7

Deanna heard someone calling her name. It was a gentle, but gravelly voice. Sweet, yet something was off. Before investigating, she grabbed a mallet to defend herself with, just in case.

She followed the voice until she was led to a cellar in the castle. She stopped when she saw a woman there. She was short and had red eyes and wore pink lipstick. 

"Hello, Deanna," the woman said, sweetly. 

Something was wrong. Very wrong. 

"Poor little lost human. You're so far from home, aren't you?" 

Those eyes looked familiar. Where had she seen them? 

"Well, we can't have that, now, can we?" the troll slowly went towards Deanna. 

The teenager's eyes widened when she realized who this was. "Gnorga!" 

"Of course! Who else could it be, you stupid girl?" The sweetness in her voice was gone now. 

Deanna raised the mallet. "Stay back!" 

Gnorga laughed. "You think that puny thing will stop me?!" She held up her thumb, which was black. "When I'm done with you, you'll be nothing but stone!" 

At that moment, King Llort ran in. "Gnorga! How did you-" 

"Oh, look, it's Llort. Good, sweet, kind, bumbling Llort! The one who ruined everything!" She screamed at him. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you interfered with all my plans on purpose!" 

Llort stood in front of Deanna. "Leave her out of this! She has nothing to do with what happened!" 

"Oh, but I can't take any risks. You don't know about the prophecy, do you? Why would you? You never knew anything! You're a blundering idiot and will always be one! Get out of my way, or should I turn you to stone first?" 

Llort growled, glaring. "You're not going to hurt Deanna!" 

"And what will YOU do, Llort? You have no powers! You're worthless! You're nothing! Taking the kingdom back will be way too easy!" With that, Gnorga ran at Llort and Deanna and activated her thumb, reaching forward. 

Gnorga stopped in her tracks. 

Llort touched Gnorga's forehead with his thumb, which was also black. In a low voice, he told the former queen as she looked at him, wide-eyed, "You will never, EVER harm my daughter." 

That was the last thing Gnorga heard before her entire body was turned to stone. 

Llort turned around and saw Deanna still holding the mallet. He gently took it from her. "Deanna, don't look." 

Speechless, Deanna closed her eyes. Llort swung the mallet and smashed the statue into pieces, not stopping until most of the chunks of stone were nothing but pebbles.

Llort finally dropped the mallet and hugged Deanna after his thumb was back to normal. "Are you okay?" he asked, holding her, tightly. 

"I'm not hurt. Why did she want to turn me to stone? What prophecy was she talking about?" 

"We'll discuss it later. Let's get out of here." 

As Llort started to leave, Deanna stopped. "Wait...You called me your daughter," she mentioned. 

Llort turned towards her. "I...I did, didn't I? Is that alright?" he asked, gently. "I'd like you to stay, if you want."

Deanna nodded, then hugged him again.

Llort pulled away after a bit, looking around. "This place gives me the creeps. Let's go. I have some business to take care of, anyway." 

By that, he meant that he had to have Gnorga's loyal servants who revived her arrested, and the statue pieces properly disposed of. The king didn't want to take any chances this time, and every task was soon done neatly and swiftly.


	8. Chapter 8

A few days later, everyone in the Kingdom of the Trolls gathered for Princess Deanna's coronation. The ceremony was a joyous one, and King Llort couldn't be prouder of his new daughter. 

Stanley, who was an honorary guest, congratulated the princess on her new title. "See? I told you there's people who want you around! You just had to find them." 

Deanna hugged him. "You were right, Stanley. Thank you for helping me." 

During the feast after the coronation, there was plenty of human and troll food, and much singing and dancing. Best of all, the evil mentioned in the prophecy had been defeated, and the kingdom was safe once again. 

Once during the celebration, Llort took his daughter aside. "I have a gift for you." He put a necklace on her. 

"You didn't have to get me anything, Dad." 

Llort lit up after being called that. "Oh, I know, but I wanted to get you something special for the occasion. This is one of the happiest days of my life." 

"Same here. I don't have to be scared anymore." She hugged him. 

"That's right. We don't have to be scared anymore." Llort repeated. He kissed the top of her head, then, after hugging for a long time, they rejoined the festivities.


End file.
